National Park Service to restore monument under preservation laws
The statue of Albert Pike, a Confederate general and Masonic leader, which was toppled and burned during demonstrations in June 2020, is set to be restored and returned to its original site in Washington D.C., according to the National Park Service (NPS).
The agency stated that the restoration is part of its obligations under federal historic preservation laws and aligns with executive directives focused on restoring public spaces and reinstalling previously existing statues in the nation’s capital.
Congressional opposition to the statue’s return
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents the District of Columbia, voiced her opposition to the decision and announced she would reintroduce legislation to permanently remove the monument. Norton criticized the recognition of Pike, citing his controversial military exit and alleged involvement in war crimes.
The statue was installed in 1901 by the Freemasons in honor of Pike’s intellectual and philosophical contributions. Although he served as a Confederate general, the statue does not reference his military role and depicts him in civilian clothing.
Historical background and ongoing debate
Born in Boston and later residing in Arkansas, Pike engaged in 19th-century political movements and was appointed a Confederate general in 1861, where he served as an intermediary between the Confederacy and Indigenous tribes. His alleged ties to the Ku Klux Klan remain disputed among historians.
The statue had been a source of controversy for decades, with D.C. officials advocating for its removal since the early 1990s. On June 19, 2020, during a national wave of protests, demonstrators brought it down using ropes and set it on fire.
The National Park Service plans to reinstall the statue at Judiciary Square, near the National Mall, by October of this year.
